


Double Feature at the Bijou

by lh_moth



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Jughead Jones, Episode: s01e10 Chapter Ten: The Lost Weekend, Friendship, Gen, Queerplatonic Archie Andrews/Jughead Jones, actually not intentionally written that way, amatonormativity, brief Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, but feel free to read it that way if you like, but not exactly bughead friendly, just a head's up in case that's not your cup of tea, not that it really has any bearing on the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-13 21:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16026734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lh_moth/pseuds/lh_moth
Summary: For years, Jughead has celebrated his birthday by going to a double feature at the Bijou Theatre with Archie. But how exactly did that tradition get started?(This was originally written the week after "The Lost Weekend" aired, so it doesn't take into account any of the later episodes and may no longer be fully canon.)





	Double Feature at the Bijou

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this over eighteen months ago, and I originally posted it to my tumblr. However, since I now have an AO3 account (which is still mind-blowing to me, and I continue to oscillate between excitement and sheer terror), I figured I might as well post it here as well. Hopefully it's not too distracting, suddenly having a fic for an episode that aired...well, quite a while back.
> 
> As mentioned in the summary, this story was written based only on the first ten episodes of the first season. (Technically, the first 9 1/2 - I wrote it after only seeing the first half of the episode.) I actually stopped watching Riverdale after this, so I have no idea how well this story fits into later canon. It may even be a bit AU at this point... Still, I hope people can still enjoy it, even if the details are now wrong.
> 
> I also mentioned in the tags that this story is not exactly bughead friendly. I'm not a fan of the pairing, or of Riverdale's portrayal of Betty. And, as someone who has issues around their own birthday, I really felt that Betty was out of line in the episode, and I'm afraid this story does somewhat reflect that. However, it is absolutely not my intention to attack or bash the character, the pairing, or anyone who is a fan of either. I just...felt that I should make that clear.
> 
> Whew. Sorry for going on for so long. I might be forgetting something, but I think I'm just going to stop talking and let everyone get to the story...
> 
> Please enjoy!

Jughead is eleven when he brings up his birthday around Archie. They’re sprawled on the warped floor of the treehouse, trading off playing Archie’s new Gameboy. Archie is excitedly recounting the details of his latest birthday haul. There’s an innocuous question, and the truth just slips out.

“I don’t care about my birthday.”

Jughead instantly regrets the words. He never intended to tell his friend, because he knows what comes next. The prying questions. The overly-sincere concern. The condescending dismissal of his feelings. After all, what sort of freak doesn’t like birthdays?

The game seems too loud in the sudden silence. Jughead pretends he isn’t watching closely as Archie’s expression changes from shock to worry to sadness, and here it comes…

“Okay.”

Jughead whips around, his jaw dropping. “What?”

Archie shrugs nonchalantly. “Okay.”

The game lets off a string of mournful notes, signalling Jughead’s defeat. Archie grins. “Ha! My turn!” he crows, snatching the device away.

Strangely, Jughead doesn’t mind.

 

*

  
Jughead spends the days leading up to his twelfth birthday being increasingly moody, yet Archie remains unaffected. He even invites Jughead to a double-feature at the Bijou theatre. His treat. Unable to withstand Archie’s determined good-naturedness, Jughead grudgingly agrees. It does sound fun, even after Archie has to suspiciously change the date to _that_ day.

The bike ride to the theatre is spent with Archie chattering happily about nothing particularly important and Jughead bracing himself for the b-word to be brought up. He starts relaxing when Archie is complaining about Jughead trying to get a second extra-large popcorn. (They compromise and decide to split a truly unhealthy amount of candy.) By the time the house lights go down, Jughead gives up his suspicions, puts his birthday out of his mind, and enjoys the films.

It’s not until they’ve reached the intersection where they’ll go their separate ways that Jughead is forced to remember what day it is.

“Jughead.”

Archie is looking at his friend with the most serious, earnest expression, and Jughead _knows_. Of course. Of course it was too good to be true. Of course Archie couldn’t just let it go.

Fidgeting and looking everywhere but at Jughead, Archie continues, “I know you don’t like your birthday, but…” He pauses, then forces himself to be still and blurts out in a rush, “I just think it’d be really lonely without you, and I wanted you to know that I’m glad you’re here.”

It is undoubtedly the cheesiest, most ridiculous thing Jughead has ever heard in his entire life, yet he can already feel himself starting to grin. Because it’s Archie-freaking-Andrews, the only person he knows who can somehow take the corniest statements and say them with such perfect sincerity that everyone else is forced to accept them.

“Thanks, Arch.”

Archie answers with one of his patented blinding smiles. “Happy birthday, Jughead.”

For the first time in a very long time, Jughead doesn’t mind the words. And if he’s still grinning as he pedals home, well, there’s no one there to see him.

 

*

  
Ten days before his thirteenth birthday, Jughead catches Archie at his locker after school and begins to tell him about the up-coming double-feature at the Bijou. He spends several minutes talking it up, pulling up random trivia about the films while Archie packs his books away.

“So,” he finally asks, carefully masking his nerves with a casual tone, “wanna check it out? We could go Wednesday, next week?”

At first, Archie seems confused. Then, he places the day in question, and his confusion is wiped away by a cheerful smile as he eagerly agrees.

Jughead, on the other hand, keeps his smile restrained. “Cool.” He walks away, calling over his shoulder, “You’re buying the snacks.”

Behind him, Archie splutters. “What? No! Jughead!”

Jughead keeps walking, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning.

“One popcorn, Jughead!” Archie shouts after him. “One!”

 

*

  
When Jughead turns sixteen, he buys the snacks for the first time. He forgoes the usual candies, settling for a large popcorn and a soda for his _date_ \- and somehow he manages not to choke on that word. Betty smiles at him sweetly, happily, as he slouches in the seat next to her.

Inevitably, she has to ask why he didn’t tell her about his birthday. For a moment, Jughead freezes. How can he explain? How can he explain that there’s only two people in this world who make sharing his birthday bearable, and since he can’t be with Jellybean, he hoped to spend the day with Archie? How can he explain the steadily growing feeling of _wrongness_ that started the moment Archie told him that Betty would be going with him instead? How can he tell her that he resents her being here, resents that being her boyfriend robbed him of the one thing he actually wanted for himself, on today of all days? How can he say that this was one of the worst birthdays he’s had in over five years, and the night is just beginning?

Dragging up the smile he learned from all the unwanted birthday celebrations before, Jughead focuses on Betty and lies.

“I didn’t think you were an _American Werewolf_ kind of girl.”

Betty laughs and Jughead slouches a little lower in his seat.

When she asks to leave early, Jughead doesn’t put up much resistance. All he wants is to go back to the Andrews’ and curl up in his sleeping bag until this nightmare of a birthday is finally over.

**Author's Note:**

> At the moment, I don't have any plans to write more for the Riverdale fandom, but I've learned to avoid saying never when it comes to my oft fickle muse.
> 
> Anyway, thank you very much for reading! Again, I hope it was enjoyable!


End file.
